A support prosthesis of this type, referred to as a stent, is known from EP 1 374 802 A1. The known stent has a tubular casing with a large number of meandering support rings which are connected by connecting elements extending substantially in the longitudinal direction and having a large number of loops. The curve portions of the meandering support rings can be tapered beyond the entire bending curve to facilitate bending of the bending curves. However, the bending curves must not be weakened to the extent that the strength of the support rings is threatened in the stretched state.
The known stent is conventionally attached to a balloon catheter and brought by means of the balloon catheter into the region of the vessel to be widened. This can, for example, be a stenosis in the region of a coronary vessel. Inflating the balloon catheter then causes the stent to be expanded in the radial direction to such an extent that the support rings experience plastic deformation. The support rings hold the vessel in a widened state even after the balloon catheter has been withdrawn.
On expansion of the stent, it is advantageous if the stent expands uniformly such that the bending curves provided for the plastic deformation deform as uniformly and simultaneously as possible, so the vessel to be widened is loaded uniformly.
Starting from this prior art, the object of the invention is therefore to provide a uniformly expandable support prosthesis.